Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Linsnw on July 25, 2015, 01:16:48 PM
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Hi All
I started femosten 1/10 in January after a hellish 4 months with peri menopausal symptoms. It gradually got better to the point where I could function. Although I wasnt 100% i was proabbly 70% with the odd down day.
When I went to the GP she suggested that I might try the 2/10 to see if that brought me to 100%. The first week I felt normal but since then I feel like I've been declining. Achy linbs, fatique, spaced out, dizzy a little anxious .
I suppose the advice I'm looking for is anyone else who's done the same. Does it get worse before it gets better? I'm just coming to the end of the first packet, and I feel pretty rough .
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How are your periods etc.? I'm sure someone with HRT knowledge will be along, however, HRT is not a cure all. Maybe the initial prescription was as much as your body could tolerate? but as it's Trial and Error it is hard work finding a status quo.
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Hi Linsnw - if you are still peri meno then your own hormones will be fluctuating in the background effecting everything. I made the mistake of upping the dose in the peri stage and felt just the way you are right now - really odd - I was using too high a dose, when in fact I needed a much lower dose. Having said this, we are all different and it really is trial and error. The assumption that more is better is really not always the case, it's about finding eh 'sweet spot' and that will change as you get deeper into the meno.
Expecting HRT to make you feel good 100% of the time is asking too much, especially in the peri stage when things will fluctuate anyway - if it's helping 70% of the time then that is really good.
Maybe go back to the 1/10 Femoston in a couple of months if you still feel odd or perhaps try Oestrogel with separate progesterone (possibly Utrogestan) so you can adjust the dose to what you need. When I went on to one pump of Oestrogel per day (a really low dose) I felt much better - I then increased this to 2 pumps per day when I felt my own hormones had dropped and I needed more. DG x
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Thank you both for taking the time to reply. I have two more months to go on this round so will see what happens and decide if I feel worse on the 2/10. Thanks for the info on alternatives too. How did you move over to the other type of HRT? Was it recommdation or were you not getting on with the other one. My GP doesn't seem to know a great deal and had originally referred me to a gynaecologist who put me on femosten then discharged me back to GP as was making progress. Kind of wish I'd persevered with the 1/10 the way I feel.
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Femoston is a good HRT to be on as the progesterone in this preparation is kinder than the more synthetic ones - so is usually better tolerated.
GPs are generally not up to speed on treating the menopause so many of us have to go to meno clinics or gynaes to get more specialist advice. When I was peri meno I tried 3-4 different types of HRT before I went to a private meno clinic - this was over 15 years ago now and there weren't NHS clinics at that time and the types of HRT available on the NHS weren't as good - Femoston certainly wasn't offered. I think your gynae has advised you well and clearly the Femoston 1/10 was helping but, in my experience, HRT will not guarantee you will feel 100% all the time. If your worst symptom is occasional low mood then maybe finding other strategies to cope with these few down times could be a good idea - I practise Mindful Meditation(a form of CBT) which I find very helpful.
I would give this higher dose Femoston one more month and if you still feel odd I'd go back to the lower dose.
DG x
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I think you're probably right about another month. If I carry on feeling the way I do I don't think I could do a third anyway. Am feeling royally sorry for myself this morning having fretted all morning worrying about looking after my 5 year old and holding down my job which is particularly stressful and kicking myself for going up a dose when I was functioning (albeit with limited energy) before. I'm now worried if I go back down I might not find that form again. It's nice to have someone to chat to though who gets it. My husband struggles himself with anxiety, something I've never experienced until this, so he's not able to help too much. Hey ho. Dust myself down and struggle on through the anxiety and fatigue which has been joined by nausea today. 😥
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Why don't you just go back to your original dose.
What you describe sounds like too much oestrogen to me. You probably don't need it at your age.
We all want to feel just normal but sadly there is a compromise somewhere as HRT doesn't fix the lot.
Feeling a lot better is great though.
Try and reduce and see if the side effects abait and then you will know what the cause of feeling so bad is.
Honeyb
x
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I'm going to book back in with my GP asap as I don't have any of the lower dose. Hopefully she'll prescribe them again and I can move back. To be honest the symptoms are the same as when I didn't have enough... Are the symptoms of too much and too little oestrogen the same?
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Linsnw - I think honeybun is right. I personally did find I had flushes and dizziness etc. with too higher dose of oestrogen.
I do think, and I have certainly found, that we do need to reassess our lives when the meno hits and prioritise more. Be kind to yourself, don't try to be all things to all people - if you don't pull back a little from the stress where possible then the meno symptoms will be worse and HRT can only do so much.
You want to be able to enjoy grandchildren etc. but if you don't give yourself some relaxation time then everyone around you will suffer - I have found this out the hard way and over the last couple of years I have really learnt to say "NO" - being a bit more selfish can be a good thing. As mothers we get into the habit of looking after everyone, often at the expense of ourselves; then when meno hits we may be less able to cope & those around us don't understand. I have a widowed mother who is very demanding and I've overheard her whispering to someone that I'm being "a bit difficult and tetchy" - she should understand but all she cares about is being taken out and enjoying herself and if I'm tired after work and unable to do what she wants me to do, she finds my fatigue a nuisance. I've stopped being so readily available for her over the last couple of years and she's treating me much better.
If you enjoy your job and possibly need to keep working full time, then this should be a priority and finding the right balance of HRT to keep you functioning reasonably well is very important. I do think the peri stage is really tough with fluctuating hormones, so adjustments may be needed as the levels fall.
My GP suggested I read a book about Mindful Meditation, and I was certainly sceptical but I have found practising this regularly has helped me enormously. Mindful Meditation is quite simple really but it does need to be practised and built into your routine (usually just 15mins twice a day) and helps you to focus on the 'here and now'. I find it really useful when fatigue hits me. If your husband also suffers with anxiety this would help him as well and maybe you could persuade him to do this with you? There are a number of books but I read :Mindfulness: A practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world by Prof Mark Williams and Dr Danny Penman.
I believe this type of CBT is recommended but the Institute of Clinical Excellence here in the UK for anxiety, depression and fatigue.
Keep us posted. DG x
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Thank you both. You're definitely hitting the nail on the head when I was very poorly I delegated more, stopped any activities not linked to my day to day and tried to limit stuff at home. As I felt better with HRT I brought it all back on and now this has changed I feel dreadful and wondering what I'll do. I'll certainly get that book and give it a go. It can't do any harm. I shall book in to see my GP and by that time be able to assess how I'm feeling. If it's still not great I'll suggest I go back down and adjust my expectations to 70% being a good result!!! I'll also make sure I'm delegating properly at work and stop trying to be a superhero at home. Thank you both for chatting with me. You have no idea what support it's been! Xxx